Fattoria Voltrona San Gimignano — Local services in San Gimignano

Fattoria Voltrona came highly recommended and I was so disappointed by my experience that I had to write a poor review. I booked the place for 2 nights for my partner and I in late April 2019 with the intention of riding the Icelandic horses and enjoying the facilities on site. Before booking, I wrote in to ask if I could make a reservation for the horseback riding. However, I got no reply and proceeded to book the place as I was worried it might be sold out. Despite making the reservation more than 1 month early, I received no follow up email on the horseback riding reservation. I was not too worried as I thought there would be many other activities available on the property as promoted on their site such as fishing and hiking.

Upon reaching the property, I was told that the horseback riding was completely unavailable during my three days there. When I informed them that I put in a request to make a reservation for horseback riding, the staff informed me that he saw the email, but didn't reply because he was hoping that someone would back out and that a slot would be available for us when we arrived. Just to repeat, he knew I had a request, and CHOSE not to inform me that it was fully booked. I was completely appalled at his irresponsibility and would even go so far to say that it is dishonest behaviour. I decided not to pursue and enjoy the other parts of the property instead.

To lift our spirits, we decided to try out the cooking class. Disappointingly, it was not available on the dates we were staying. I then asked if we could fish but the staff said that we had to bring our own fishing equipment. On the website, it states clearly that equipment can be rented. Frustrated, I asked if there was anything to do at all, to which he replied: “it’s a good day for a walk”. I was furious and wanted to cancel my second night because anybody could take a walk on the property without paying the high price for the stay at Voltrona. He said there was nothing he could do and we were left with an expensive hut and nothing to do on the property for 2 nights.

A positive is that the property is indeed beautiful and the room had hot water. However, the air conditioning is automatic and cannot be adjusted. While the temperature was regulated and fine, there was absolutely no ventilation so we had to keep the windows open. The breakfast is rather limited but of okay quality. There are 2 adorable barn cats that appreciate a good scratch and the horses are a joy to look at.

Overall, I find that the staff were dishonest in choosing not to inform us that the horseback riding was fully booked and also apathetic with no service recovery at all. There was no intention or effort to make us feel welcome, or to offer alternatives to make our stay enjoyable. I have met many hospitable hosts in Italy and Fattoria Voltrona definitely did not live up...

Cosy typical Tuscan fattoria, the views were exactly what you'd expect. The hosts were also friendly and very welcoming. We arrived late but this was no problem at all, the host left out some info and our room key. We had no trouble finding the room. We stayed in room number 1, which had a private bathroom outside of the room. It was a bit annoying having to cross the hallway every time, but we didn't mind that much. The bathroom itself was quite clean. Lunch and dinner were good but there was no way of knowing what was on the menu beforehand. Even when we got there the menu's were a bit confusing. Breakfast was good as well, but we had a feeling there wasn't a lot, and there was little to no variation in the choices. There are 2 swimming pools instead of one, which was a welcome surprise. We didn't get to spend much time at the pool since the weather wasn't really on our side, but inside there was room enough to sit and enjoy the view outside. Overall, we really liked our stay at...

If you're looking for an authentic Tuscany experience, Fattoria Voltrona is your place. I randomly stumbled upon their website when looking for Tuscan B&Bs. Set in an old farmhouse, the location is rustic and real: no air conditioning and yes, some bugs, but the experience is 100% true to Italian country life. The site sells their own wine (delicious, by the way), holds two pools, and hosts dinner every night for a reasonable price. Cozy and comfortable, you will have the opportunity to meet other guests and become aquainted with the friendly staff. My friends and I opted to take a 5-mile hike on a trail to San Gimignano, which is also accessible by car. The hike was hilly and hot but wonderful, passing through olive tree farms, authentic villas, and the like. I would vacation here again in...